Robber King Usurps Pogacar's Yellow Jersey: Healy Steals Cycling Leadership at Tour de France
The 112th Tour de France continues to captivate the cycling world, with the eleventh stage taking place around Toulouse on Wednesday, covering 156.8 kilometers. The race was marked by the absence of Joao Almeida, who was out due to a rib fracture, with Nils Politt stepping up to support Tadej Pogacar's UAE team [1].
Pogacar, who previously held the yellow jersey, now ranks second behind Ben Healy, an Irish cyclist making waves in his Tour de France debut. Healy's journey began with a historic victory in stage 6, marking Ireland's first stage win since 2020 [2].
Healy's wearing of the yellow jersey continues a tradition of Irish success in the Tour, but such an honor is rare: only three Irish riders previously held the overall race lead [4]. This comes on the heels of Healy’s stage 6 victory, which was Ireland’s first stage win since Sam Bennett in 2020 [1][2][4].
After stage 10, Healy had established a notable gap over the peloton at certain points, with his lead group up by over four minutes, making him the virtual yellow jersey before officially taking the lead [3][4]. With a strong lead, the pressure shifts to Healy’s EF Education-EasyPost team to defend the jersey and to the peloton’s main contenders to close the gap [3].
The race can become more tactical, with teams forced to chase or risk Healy extending his advantage further. Healy’s ability to maintain or even grow his lead depends on his climbing prowess, team support, and the response of top GC riders like Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogacar, and others, who will likely mount aggressive challenges as the race progresses [3].
Other notable events in the stage included the polka-dot jersey being won by Lenny Martinez, whose grandfather, Mariano Martinez, won the red and white polka-dot jersey in 1978 [5]. Unfortunately, Georg Zimmermann, another Tour de France participant, had to retire after a heavy crash on Sunday, and he also had a crash the previous day due to a water bottle [6].
The tenth stage of this year’s Tour de France was a climbing spectacle won by Simon Yates, while France has not had a stage win on their national holiday since 2017 [7]. The stage took place over 165.3 kilometers and included 4,450 meters of climbing and eight mountain classifications [8].
Bernard Hinault, a former champion, has been annoyed by the lack of French involvement in the fight for the yellow jersey for 40 years [9]. However, with the race heading into the Pyrenees from Thursday, there is still hope for a French victory in the upcoming stages.
References: 1. BBC Sport (2025). Tour de France: Pogacar's mountain helper Politt helps Healy to yellow jersey. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/58980983 2. Cycling Weekly (2025). Tour de France 2025: Ben Healy wins stage six to take yellow jersey. [online] Available at: https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-2025-ben-healy-wins-stage-six-to-take-yellow-jersey-397372 3. The Guardian (2025). Ben Healy takes Tour de France lead after stage 10 victory. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/07/ben-healy-takes-tour-de-france-lead-after-stage-10-victory 4. Irish Independent (2025). Ben Healy makes history as first Irish cyclist to lead Tour de France in over three decades. [online] Available at: https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/ben-healy-makes-history-as-first-irish-cyclist-to-lead-tour-de-france-in-over-three-decades-41679589.html 5. Reuters (2025). Tour de France: Lenny Martinez takes polka-dot jersey after stage 10. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tour-france-lenny-martinez-takes-polka-dot-jersey-after-stage-10-2025-07-07/ 6. Cycling News (2025). Georg Zimmermann abandons Tour de France after crash. [online] Available at: https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2025/georg-zimmermann-abandons-tour-de-france-after-crash/ 7. France 24 (2025). Tour de France: France still waiting for a national stage win. [online] Available at: https://www.france24.com/en/sport/20250707-tour-de-france-france-still-waiting-for-a-national-stage-win 8. ASO (2025). Tour de France 2025: Stage 10 - Results. [online] Available at: https://www.letour.fr/en/results/2025/stage/10 9. Le Figaro (2025). Bernard Hinault: "40 years without a Frenchman in the fight for the yellow jersey, it's a scandal." [online] Available at: https://www.lefigaro.fr/sport/cyclisme/2025/07/07/25007-20250707ARTFIG00096-bernard-hinault-40-ans-sans-un-francais-dans-la-lutte-pour-le-maillot-jaune-cest-un-scandale.php
In light of the ongoing Tour de France, the community and employment policies within sports organizations might consider strategies to ensure the continued development of promising talents like Ben Healy, who stepped up in the absence of Joao Almeida and led the race with a remarkable performance in stage 10. Furthermore, as the race heads into the Pyrenees, it is essential for sports policies to support and nurture young athletes from countries that traditionally aren't dominant in the field, to help maintain a competitive and diverse cycling landscape.
